The Rival That Wasn't
by bmango
Summary: Edward was tired of having the campus golden boy always showing him up. One way or another, this ended tonight. My entry for the Remember When This Was Fun contest. JxE.


**A/N:** Big thank yous to LyricalKris and Nat (9fn432) for beta-ing this little story. Also, thank you to sadtomato and SingleStrnd (MyLifeandHis) for starting this contest. I had a lot of fun writing this, ladies.

**Warning:** This is slash. There may be handjobs.

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**EPOV**

I couldn't remember how it started, this war between the two of us, but I knew one thing: it ended tonight.

Today was the last fucking straw. Jasper had gone too far in his mocking.

I stood on the sidewalk as the cold rain ran down my face. Gazing up at the fraternity house that had been my home for the last year, I noticed that the light in his room was still on. Probably gloating over his last win over me.

Poor Edward Masen, grand fool on campus.

But no longer.

No longer would I hear about his record-breaking times on the track, his unparalleled skill at debate, his amazing insights for fraternity and campus politics. I was the best long distance runner this school had recruited. I was the most promising Model UN debater in my state. This was MY fraternity, the one my great grandfather helped build.

Every time I began to enjoy myself, began to feel like I was accomplishing something, he was suddenly there, signing up, smiling, running... accomplishing.

But today, today was it. I was in the running for the LGBT representative for the Student Council, but then, of course, stupid Jasper Whitlock was at the rally today in his bright colors and shining blond hair. He started by waving to me like we knew each other and was effortlessly welcomed by the group, eventually leading cheers and gaining his own following. Couldn't I even be proud and gay without him being better at it?

I left before I could give my speech, slamming the door without looking back, fighting to keep the tears of frustration at bay.

Walking around campus, I knew that, frat brother or no, I had to confront him. He was ruining my life one piece at a time, and I couldn't get him out of my head or out of my nightmares. He was everywhere.

I lept up the steps two at a time and opened the large wooden door. I avoided all the stares of my brothers and ran to the second floor, knowing I would lose my courage if I didn't act now. I stood there for a few seconds, slowing my breathing, dripping rain water on the carpet.

Suddenly his door flew open and I met the wide, blue eyes of Jasper Whitlock.

"Masen? Wha-"

I cut him off by rushing into the room and slamming him against the far wall, my forearm against his chest.

"Why? Why can't you just let me be? You've ruined every college experience I've tried: my track meets, my debate club, hell, even this stupid fraternity!"

His eyes were wide at first, but then maddeningly began to soften as I continued to scream my frustration in his face.

"Why do you have to ruin everything that's mine? Why do you hate me so much?" This time I couldn't stop the traitorous tears, and I was so angry and so frustrated that I just screamed, falling to my knees.

Jasper stepped away, his soft footsteps going to his door, which I heard close with a soft click.

Then he was there again, kneeling before me as his hands gently cradled my face and his thumbs wiped away my tears.

"Oh, Edward."

I startled as I felt the soft press of lips against mine.

"It's all been for you, you silly, silly boy."

That stopped everything. The tears, the screaming, everything.

"For me?"

He kissed me once more. "Yes. Although I've grown to like running sprints and debate, I am definitely not a fraternity guy."

I looked at him, trying to understand his words and actions as everything he did over the last year told a completely different story. "Then why are you here?"

"Because you are."

"But-"

His fingertips were suddenly against my mouth. "But no matter what I've done, how I've tried, you never noticed me."

I gaped at him. "I noticed everything." I remembered him gloating and smiling as he won another race. I remembered him nodding condescendingly at me as he personally crushed another opponent during a debate.

"Really? You scowled at me whenever I smiled at you. Rebuffed all my encouragements. I even tried outting myself to you in hopes you would finally see me, but you ran away."

"I- I-" I still couldn't wrap my head around what he was saying. "What?"

"I've been trying to get you to notice me, really notice me. To see that I'm interested in you."

And those words triggered something in my memories, coloring everything in a different light. His smiles suddenly seemed less jeering, his words less taunting. The pat on the back at the last track meet was less of a challenge and more friendly encouragement. The 'good argument' in the last debate was less sarcastic and more sincere. "You aren't trying to ruin me?"

"Quite the contrary. I've been trying to get your attention the only way I know how."

I stared at him, distracted by how close his pouting lips were, but trying my best. "By pissing me off?"

He laughed, his eyes sparkling. "No. By showing interest in your interests. By letting you know that I'm gay as well."

"Oh." I shivered suddenly, having forgotten about my cold, wet clothes and hair.

"My God, Edward, you're soaked." He leaned back, running his hands down my arms.

The warmth from his skin had instantly heated my arms, stirring something a little lower. I jerked back out of his grasp and willed my body to not give in to such a simple touch.

He frowned slightly, but didn't back away. "You need to get out of these clothes. Were you out in this storm the entire time since you left the rally?"

I nodded dumbly, uncertain what I was agreeing to, my brain completely unable to put forth intelligent words as his warm fingers brushed my abdomen as they curled around the hem of my shirt.

I looked up to find him staring intently at me. "May I?"

Taking a deep breath, I nodded again, watching him intently as he peeled my shirt up my torso, only blinking once he pulled it over my head.

He threw my shirt to the side and I shivered again, unable to tell if it was from the cold or his warm breath ghosting over my chest.

"Jesus, you're freezing," he said and started to rise to his feet.

My hand shot out almost of its own volition and grabbed his arm. Now that he was so close, we were so close to something different, I didn't want him to move away.

"Edward, what-"

"You kissed me."

He relaxed slightly, but a blush spread across his cheeks. "Yeah."

I looked at him and thought about all the times he was in my dreams, the ones of running, of chasing, of him catching me and kissing me breathless. The way I always woke from them, panting and achingly hard. Perhaps they weren't nightmares after all.

Pulling him closer, I ran my fingers of my free hand along his jaw, into his hair, and then closed the distance between us, my mouth meeting his in a hard kiss. He responded immediately, his arm wrapping around my waist as he moaned. I finally let go of his other arm so I could try to pull him closer, and he used his free hand to hold my head still as he pressed his lips against mine. His hand on my back wandered lower, the heat almost painful on my cool skin. I gasped as he grabbed my ass, and then licked his lips, moaning as my tongue found his.

My fingers found the hem of his shirt, and I tugged, wanting to feel more of his warmth against my skin.

"Easy, Edward," he said, placing a small kiss on my neck as he leaned away. "I feel like we're going fast."

I looked at him curiously. Was I actually being rejected? "But you like me."

He huffed out a little breath. "Yes."

"And I've been dreaming of this for months."

"Months?"

I bent to place a kiss along his neck, just at the edge of his shirt. "Yes. Please, Jasper."

His words were more breath than voice when they slid across my skin. "Please what?"

"I think we both want the same thing. No more thinking or impressing or anything." I leaned back and looked him in the eye. "Just us. Just this."

"Yeah?" His eyes held such hope as his mouth curled into a small smile.

"Yeah."

"Then, c'mere." He pulled me forward, our torsos lining up perfectly as his lips pressed against mine again.

I grabbed his shirt again, and he didn't resist this time as I lifted it up and over his head, revealing the broad expanse of his smooth chest. I itched to touch him, to run my hands over his skin, to feel his heartbeat under my fingertips, and yet I hesitated, trying to burn this moment into my memory.

I wanted to remember his tousled hair, his panting breaths, his kiss-roughened lips - the first moment I truly saw him.

He reached for me then, and I no longer resisted, eagerly returning all of his kisses and exploring his body with my hands. Sliding my hand between us, I found him hard against my hand, his hips flexing as I pressed into him.

"Edward, ungh. God I don't know whether to tell you to stop or not."

"Let's not stop then." I deftly opened his fly one-handed and then reached my fingers through the space, instantly finding soft skin and eliciting a sharp gasp from Jasper. "Commando?"

He smirked and I could see the smart ass comment die on his lips as I wrapped my fingers around him. "Yeah," he said, voice low with want. "Always."

I grinned as he groaned and pressed his lips to mine, grabbing my ass and pushing his hips into me. I loved being able to control him like this, to seemingly know every move I should make to get the response I wanted from him. Apparently, in this respect, he was much easier to read.

He tried to wiggle his fingers into the back of my jeans, but the wet material clung to my skin. "We should get you out of these wet clothes," he said as he unbuckled my belt and pulled it from the loops, working quickly on the button and zipper. Soon his warm hands were peeling the jeans down, pushing my boxers with them.

He turned swiftly, grabbing a bottle from his bedside table and popping the top to drizzle the clear liquid into his hand. He coated himself with the lube then pulled my cock out and curled his fingers around it. I resumed my previous exploration of his hard length, the lube allowing faster motion. Our other hands held each others' bodies tight as our mouths opened to each other. I twisted my wrist, earning a long moan from him that I swallowed as he ran his thumb over the head of my cock. I whimpered, everything feeling so good, so intense, and I knew it was so much more because it was him.

The man of my nightmares and dreams, my waking tormentor turned lover. Every moment was both confusing and right.

His mouth was devouring my every sound as our hands increased in speed, keeping the same rhythm. My orgasm was approaching fast, my hips thrusting forward as if I could fuck his hand. He mumbled encouragements against my lips as his rhythm faltered for a moment.

Fuck, he was close, too.

I opened my eyes to watch him as I came, a scream caught in my throat as I pulsed and quivered in his hand. Moments later, just as awareness returned to me, his eyes widened, and I felt his warmth spill over my hand as he came. His mouth opened and his head fell back as he groaned.

When he lifted his head again, his eyes met mine, and he pointedly lifted his hand to lick his fingers before wiping his hand on his discarded shirt and then handing it to me. After we were both cleaned up, he kissed me again, just the softest of touches.

Again, my thoughts seemed to grow fuzzy as his lips moved against mine, my focus lost on anything but his touch. When he pulled away, I moved to follow, not wanting it to end.

He chuckled, but then touched my face. I looked up to find him staring at me, his gaze intense. "Perhaps we can move this to a more comfortable location. And I can give you another pair of pants?"

I nodded and struggled to stand, the wet jeans half-way down my thighs. He rummaged through his wardrobe and tossed a pair of boxers and sweatpants at me. I changed quickly and then sat on the couch, waiting for him to join me. When he did, he handed me a towel and sat as close as possible without being on top of me. I scrubbed my hair with the towel, trying to at least stop it from dripping.

"What made you come to my door tonight?" he asked, his voice small.

I paused and looked at him. After all we just confessed and did, he wondered about this now? "I was done with our silly competitions, done with always feeling like I was in a war I didn't want to be in. I was coming here to tell you that you had won."

He laughed outright, and I frowned, not seeing the joke.

"Well, I certainly did win," he said, using his finger to lift my chin and make me look at him. "But I hope you feel that you won, too."

I smiled at that. "Yes, I can safely say I don't think there are any losers in this situation."

He kisses me lightly on the lips, a sweet, familiar kiss. "Good."

"Does that mean you are done trying to impress me?"

"I'm not sure, but I won't be dropping any of the activities." He looked around his room. "Except perhaps quitting the fraternity, I still don't really get it here."

I frowned. "You mean like move out? But right now you live only a floor away from me."

He tilted his head, obvious confusion on his face. "Do you think visiting you will be a problem for me?"

I gave him my most lecherous smile. "No. But this situation is definitely more conducive to late night sleepovers. No roommates, no residence monitors." I nibbled at his neck, causing him to shiver. "Nothing stopping us."

"I like the way you think, Masen." He laughed and then groaned as I bit his neck, and I was sure I would never get tired of any of his sounds.

"And I like the way you taste here." I licked his neck and then cupped him, earning another groan as his eyes closed and his head fell back against the couch. "Perhaps I could taste you everywhere."

His eyes shot open, and he growled while pulling me up with him and over to the bed. He pushed me onto it and then crawled on top of me, hovering over me as he held my arms down. "You make a very persuasive argument, Masen. I think I might just stay here with you after all."

I flipped us quickly, surprising him by pinning him to the bed. "And sometimes you'll even let me win."

"Oh baby, in this we're both winning, remember?"

I smiled and moved my hands to cup his face, kissing him and relishing the moment our lips touched. With my forehead against his, I gazed into his grey-blue eyes. "Always."


End file.
